How does a Kindle compare to a book?
I’m thinking about buying a kindle, but I want to know how it compares to a book. I will admit I’m a bit of a romantic when it coms to books. You know, the feel of the paper, the smell, turning pages etc. Reading is a tactile experience, as well as a mental one. But it is also becoming an expensive and inconvenient one. I have no space left for my books, and they cost a lot. Also when travelling they take up a lot of space.
I guess my question is, is the space and convenience saved worth sacrificing the satisfaction of an actual book?
Also what else does it do? Besides read books.
I get that real books are not going anywhere and that its not really ebook vs book, but both. My problem is that I really hate paying for the same thing twice, so if I download a book for kindle, I wouldn’t go and buy it as a book as well.
I’m book lover myself (both the package and the content, like you), and also had no space left for books, have to set a budget, etc. I got my Kindle (2nd generation) last July and haven’t regretted it yet at all.
It takes a week or two to get the hang of it, really, to lose that ‘I’m holding a gadget not a real book’ feeling, but then it was gone and it was fine. There are tons of classics you can get for free to ease your way into it; I downloaded the complete works of Jane Austin for free and I settled right into it. The screen isn’t pure white; it’s actually a sort of pale gray, so it’s not glaring at all. Part of me wishes the letters were darker, but once you snuggle into your story, the world and the device fades away, exactly as it should.
The battery, as long as your wireless is off, will last you days and days. With the wireless on, you’ll need to recharge every day.
Reading outside in the sunlight is easy, the screen isn’t glare-y at all. In bed it’s fine too, though go for a cheap clip on light, not the expensive one designed to go with the Kindle. You can find them at Target for $6, instead of $30+ Amazon charges.
Get the generation 3 model, the keypad works better, and the screen is the same size as the gen 2. You can adjust font size to suit yourself, and can switch from portrait to landscape if you like, though I don’t see the need, myself.
My only wish is that it had a kickstand to prop it up for hands free reading, but I think there are cases you can get for it. Speaking of, you definately should invest in a case for your Kindle. It’s a sturdy little thing, I’ve dropped it a couple times, but I’d rather not carry it loose in my junky purse. I just have a sturdy envelope style case for mine that works fine.
Buying books is easy and nearly instantaneous, though it’s a little easier to shop on your computer because there are better search filters, but it’s just fine as is. Prices are not bad, pretty good actually on even some of the bigger names/titles. Brand new stuff tends to be overpriced–I refuse to pay for anything over 9.99, but eventually everything does come down in price.
I recommend it, it was worth it to me.
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